France rules 'nothing out' in response to suspected Iran-linked cyberattack

France is considering all possible responses to a cyberattack targeting refrigeration facilities in the country, including measures beyond diplomatic action and European sanctions, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday.

“We will not stop at summoning the ambassador or imposing European sanctions. We rule nothing out,” Barrot told broadcaster Franceinfo.

He said France would examine all possible measures to deter further attacks, referring to an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unit suspected of being behind the cyberattack.

The attack targeted around 700 supermarket sites overnight on Oct. 11.

French intelligence services have attributed the attack to the IRGC’s cyber unit, French daily Le Figaro reported Monday.

Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation into the head of the Iranian Shahid Kaveh group, a cyber-offensive unit affiliated with the IRGC’s Electronic and Cyber Center, as well as two of its deputy leaders and other unidentified individuals.

The Paris prosecutor’s office has also requested international arrest warrants in the case.

France considers further cyber defense measures

Barrot said France's cyber defense doctrine allows authorities to take a range of actions, without disclosing their precise nature.

He also pointed to a resilience bill under examination in parliament, which transposes three EU directives into French law and aims to strengthen cybersecurity. The legislation would provide state authorities with tools to detect and contain cyberattacks, he said.

Barrot stressed that companies and organizations responsible for critical infrastructure and data also had to take measures to protect themselves against cyber threats.

- Other cyberattacks remain under investigation

Asked about other recent cyberattacks targeting French facilities, including a bank and the country's public finance administration, Barrot said authorities could not yet identify those responsible.

He said investigations were ongoing and that France would decide on any necessary diplomatic measures once their findings were available.